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14:58 GMT, Saturday, 20 June 2009 15:58 UK

Murry completes Cherries takeover

Bournemouth's Dean Court home

Bournemouth have new owners after a consortium led by local businessman Adam Murry completed the purchase of the League Two club from Paul Baker.

Murry's group includes former Cherries co-owners Jeff Mostyn and Steve Sly, ex-Dorchester chairman Eddie Mitchell and Mitchell's son-in-law Neill Blake.

"We are delighted that the deal has finally gone through," Murry said.

"This club has had a traumatic couple of years, and it is our task to put it back on an even keel."

Bournemouth's supporters have seen a complicated succession of chairmen and directors take charge in recent years - while their Dean Court ground itself was sold to London-based property company Structadene in December 2005, and leased back.

Mostyn and lifelong Cherries fan Sly bought the cash-strapped club in March 2007, becoming chairman and vice-chairman respectively.

However, less than a year later, the club went into administration in February 2008, received an automatic 10-point deduction from the Football League - and were relegated from League One by two points.

606: DEBATE

" Hopefully this will stabilize our club now to stop us getting even more in the red so we can look to the future "


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The administrators eventually agreed to sell the club to marketing company Sport-6, headed by Baker who later replaced Mostyn as chairman, and his business partner Alastair Saverimutto who became chief executive.

However, as the club were unable to agree a Company Voluntary Agreement with their creditors, the League imposed an additional 17-point penalty at the start of the 2008/09 season.

Murry joined the board of directors in November, and the club announced on 31 December that he had become co-owner - but the deal fell through after he failed to come up with the finances.

However, he continued his bid to buy the club, paying off a winding-up petition and joining forces with Mostyn and Sly.

Although Saverimutto left the club in March, Baker eventually reached agreement to sell to the Murry Group.

A traumatic season on and off the field - which saw manager Kevin Bond sacked in September and his successor Jimmy Quinn relieved of his duties on New Year's Eve - eventually finished on a positive note.

Eddie Howe, a fans' favourite in his playing days, became the youngest manager in the Football League and steered the club to safety, while Cherries legend Steve Fletcher returned to Dean Court and scored the goal that preserved their League status in the penultimate game of the season.

Meanwhile, Poole-based property developer Mitchell - who had been a contender to buy the club himself during the administration period in 2008 - is relinquishing the chairmanship of non-league Dorchester Town, who play in Blue Square South, to prevent a conflict of interest occurring as he joins forces with Murry - whose group is set to take formal control on Monday.

A club statement revealed that Blake would be "taking an active role in the running of the club".

"The hard work starts now," Murry added in the statement.

"There has been ill feeling around the club, and this needs to be consigned to the history books."




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Related to this story:

Fletcher relishes Cherries escape act (26 Apr 09 |  Bournemouth )
Murry pays off Bournemouth debt (11 Mar 09 |  Bournemouth )
Baker to sell Cherries 'in weeks' (27 Apr 09 |  Bournemouth )
Bournemouth chief executive quits (12 Mar 09 |  Bournemouth )
Mostyn set for Cherries return (09 Mar 09 |  Bournemouth )
Bournemouth face uncertain future (03 Feb 09 |  Bournemouth )
Murry coy on Bournemouth academy (06 Nov 08 |  Bournemouth )
Baker named Bournemouth chairman (05 Nov 08 |  Bournemouth )
Bournemouth accept League penalty (08 Aug 08 |  Bournemouth )
New Bournemouth owners revealed (18 Jul 08 |  Bournemouth )
Mitchell cools Cherries interest (27 Feb 08 |  Bournemouth )
Bournemouth enter administration (08 Feb 08 |  Bournemouth )
Bournemouth takeover goes ahead (18 Mar 07 |  Bournemouth )
Club completes stadium sell-off (13 Dec 05 |  Dorset )

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